Geothermal drilling on campus
- Work begins: 29 January 2024
- Work completed: 31 May 2024
Contractors: ANTS Group, Buro Happold
Brief:
A large element of the University’s pathway to delivering Net Zero by 2030 is the decarbonisation of heat across campus. This work is to explore the ability to deliver subsurface heat through geothermal energy and involves test drilling.
Working with academics and the Sustainability Service, the work also provides a campus-based Living Lab research and teaching opportunity as well as insight into the potential use of geothermal energy to contribute towards delivering net zero across the wider city.
You can find out the opportunities provided by geothermal energy and research activity at Leeds by going to https://geosolutions.leeds.ac.uk/geothermal/
More Information
What does the work involve?
A drilling rig will create boreholes and measurement equipment will be installed. Some of these holes will be water wells, looking for underground water with the potential to be used to help heat buildings. Other holes will be monitoring wells which will be used to check what impact extracting heat from the ground has on the surrounding areas.
Once the boreholes have been drilled, they will be lined to ensure they are secure with no risk of collapsing, monitoring equipment will be installed where required, and they will be capped with a manhole cover at ground level. This will allow academics ongoing access to monitoring equipment located in the wells and will also allow normal access to the areas where the boreholes are located.
At each site, there will be noise created by drilling and large vehicles delivering equipment and transporting spoil from the ground. Areas will be fenced off for the works to be carried out which may restrict access or local parking.
For more information about this work and FAQs, please go to: https://sustainability.leeds.ac.uk/exploring-geothermal-energy-on-campus/
Please check disruption notices for specific information and contact eshelp@leeds.ac.uk, 0113 343 3333, with any questions.
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